Continuing Watercolor (May/June 2013)

I worked on the wrinkles (mixed a dark red color, painted a line and softened it with water), and the feathers on the parrots face (remember to make the feathers with water and then drop in a dark color).   I mixed a light gray (lots of water makes it light) and painted the hairs.  I added blue feathers by painting textures for the feathers.  I wet the orange area under the wing and dropped in red and yellow and pulled out the edges to look like feathers.  On the body I painted red lines and softened them with yellow (new gamboge).  I painted the feathers by his face with a dark and gray as well as yellow.  I pulled the feather lines out.

I softened the edges of the body with water and a brush.  I then started adding darks and details to the face.  I used an orange, burnt sienna, and a dark brown mixture and put the shadow near the eye and onto the nose.  I then painted some of the black shapes and ears and around the eye.  I will paint the hairs and whiskers with white gouache.  You can also save your white hairs with masking fluid.